Fuel and air mixing device

ABSTRACT

A fuel-air mixing device located between an internal combustion engine and the engine&#39;&#39;s carburetor. A rotor assembly is journalled within a housing for rotation about an axis transversely orientated to the fuel-air mixture flow from the carburetor to the engine. The rotor assembly is comprised of a series of closely spaced discs with openings therein. The fuelair flow intermediate the discs is subjected to turbulent action by the discs to further mix the fuel-air mixture.

[4 June 19, 1973 United States Patent 11 1 I Neziit FUEL AND AIR MIXING DEVICE Primary Examiner-Morris O. Wolk Assistant Examiner-R. E. Serwin Attorney-James D. Givan, Jr.

22 Filed: 21 Appl. No.: 144,769

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rotor assembly is comprised of a series of closely S T N m MA ID m nT S e D RE W N U m U spaced discs with openings therein. The fuel-air flow intermediate the discs is subjected to turbulent action by the discs to further mix the fuel-air mixture.

48/180 S 11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 1,546,663 Laing.... 2,053,287 9/1936 FUEL AND AIR MIXING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ous shapes some of which are externally powered,

while others rely upon the fuel-air intake flow for rotation. The asserted function of such devices is to further mix the fuel-air charge coming from the carburetor for more efficient engine combustion.

Examples of externally powered, rotary air-fuel mixing devices are found in the following U. S. Pat. Nos.: 3,499,427 to P. August; 3,447,514 to J. E. Trafford; 2,669,508 to A. J. Christensen; 2,216,722 to D. E. Denson; 1,885,697 to L. M. Fabro; and 1,625,281 to A. E. Raque et al.

Those prior art devices powered by the flow of the incoming fuel-air charge are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,273,957 to J. W. Harrell; 2,090,673 to J. E. Gombos; and 1,386,297 to I. H. Wilsey. Common to the foregoing prior art is a rotating mixing element or elements in the path of the fuel-air flow to the engine. Additionally, such rotating elements of the prior art devices are for the most part of helical configuration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is embodied within a mixing device located intermediate the carburetor and the internal combustion engine served by the carburetor.

The rotating element of the device is comprised of a plurality of rotatable members with irregular surfaces thereon andrecciving a fuel-air mixture flow with the flow introduced to said members along a course generally parallel to the rotational path of the members. In one form of the invention,'the members have multiple perforations. v V

Turbulent mixing action is impartedto the incoming fuel-air flow byreasonof the rotatable members, which are preferably perforate discs and present openings through which a portion of the mixture flows, the passage therethrough requiring an abrupt diversion of said portion of the mixture. Accordingly, the fuel-air mixturefrom the carburetor is subjected to afurther mixing action resulting in a uniform, highly vaporized mixture.

The present invention has for an important object the providing of mixing means receiving the fuel-air mixture flow from the carburetor and imparting adegree of turbulence to said flow to achieve a uniform and greater degree of fuel vaporization. Combustion of the burning of the fuel to enhance engine performance while reducing undesirable exhaust emissions.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a fuel mixing device requiring no external power and dependent only upon the passing fuel-air" flow for its operation. Further,efficient operation of the present invention does notrequire periodic servicing to mainfuel-air charge in the engine occurs with more efficient The simplicity of the present device with a single rotating component comprised of a shaft with discs mounted thereon provides a trouble free device of low original cost. The device has proved to be safe with ignition of the fuel-air mixture within the device, as could occur during engine backfiring, not damaging to the device. Additionally, stoppage of the rotating discs during engine operation is not criticalto continued engine operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of an internal combustion engine with the present invention in place thereon below the engine carburetor,

FIG. 2 is a vertical section of the invention taken along line 2 2 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken approximately along line 3 3 of FIG. 2 and terminating along a transverse centerline of the housing,

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken through the present device approximately along line 4 4 of FIG. 2 with the discs shown non-sectioned,

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the removed rotating unit of the invention with a central section removed therefrom, 7

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a series of discs sectioned along line 6 6 of FIG. 1 to show their openings and fuel-air flow therethrough,

FIG. 7 is a sectional elevational view of a modified rotor assembly housing, and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing modified discs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With continuing reference to the drawing wherein applied reference numerals indicate parts similarly identified in the following specification, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally the present invention disposed intermediate an internal combustion engine 11 and a carburetor therefor at 1 2.

. The engine 11, as may thecarburetor and the intake manifold indicated at 13, may be considered of conventional design and operation. If desired for purposes of convenience, the present device may be of a design at theinterfaces compatible with the carburetor and intake manifold to permit installation without structural alteration of such components. 1

With specific reference to the invention, indicated generally at 10, a rotor assembly housing is indicated at 15. The housing 15 is located intermediate the carburetor and intake manifold with integral mounting plates 16, 17 providing attachment or interface surfaces for such engine components. A fuel-air inlet area at 18 is defined by the upper part of the housing at 20 and is of a configuration to distributethe incoming.

fuel-air mixture tangentially along a rotor assembly indicated at 21,. A second form of the invention, as later described, includes a housing having an inlet area cantrally disposed above the axis of its rotor assembly.

While the present housing 15 is shownasbeing for use The fuel-air inlet area 18 terminates downwardly in an elongate internal opening at 22 in the housing internal peripheral wall at 19. In turn, the wall defines an intermediate area of the housing at 15A as viewed in FIG. 2.

Suitably journalled at 25 within end plates at 23 of the housing is a shaft member 24 of the rotor assembly 21. TI-le freely rotatable rotor assembly 21 comprises a multitude of spaced apart, perforate discs 26 in parallel relationship. Interposed spacers at 27 provide the desired spacing between each of the discs while somewhat larger spacers at 28 retain the discs and spacers from axial displacement on the shaft. The discs and spacers are fitted on the shaft 24 so as to rotate therewith.

One entirely satisfactory embodiment of the present invention utilizes lightweight metal discs 26 and spacers 27 of one thirty-second of an inch thickness with the disc portion of the rotor assembly being of a length of approximately inches. Each disc, of one satisfactory embodiment, defines multiple openings therethrough at 30 as best seen in FIG. 2 where a portion of one disc has been detailed to show the openings with the remaining portion of the disc shown provided with similar openings but shown for the sake of convenience in dashed crossing lines. The openings, in one such embodiment,,are approximately one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter.'The clearance between the outer periphery of the discs 26 and the internal circumferential wall of housing is desirably at a minimum for example between tenand twelve-thousandths of an inch.

A fuel-air discharge area is indicated at 31 with a second elongate opening therefor at 32 formed in the housing wall. The lower portion of the housing, indicated at'33, will also be shaped so as to provide a discharge opening or openings registerable with the inlet opening or openings at 34 of the intake manifold 13. As was the case in the earlierdescribed upper part of the housing 20, such changes are for the purpose of permitting continued use of existing engine components and do not preclude the embodiment of the invention with a housing having different inlet and discharge configurations. I In FIG. 8 I show a modified form of rotatable member indicated at 35. The members are preferably of circular or discshape and in continuing similarity to the earlier described members are disposed in closely spaced relationship. Turbulence is imparted to the fuelair mixture flow by projections 36 which extend laterally from the disc surface. Applied arrows indicate the turbulent mixture flowintermediate the discs and generally parallel thereto. While projections are shown in this particular modification of the disc shaped rotatable member, turbulence may otherwise be imparted to the flow with irregular surfaced discs having-other surfaces thereon. For example, such discs may be provided with multiple grooves to effect an eddying of the fuel-air mixture flow into the grooved areas with resultant increased mixing thereof.

In operation the continuous flowing fuel-air mixture is drawn through the housing 15 by the engine with the incoming flow imparting rotational movement to the rotor assembly 21. The difference in the speed vof the rotor assembly 21 and that of the incoming fuel-air mixture results in the turbulent flow or eddying of said mixture occurring about plates 26 and in and through the openings 30 therein. Such flow is indicated by applied arrows in FIG. 6. A portion of the flow circulates within the housing prior to its discharge.

A modified form of the invention is shown in fragmentary form in FIG. 7 wherein the modified rotor assembly housing at 15' defines a fuel-air inlet area at 18' with an opening 22 centrally disposed above the rotor assembly shaft (not shown) of the rotor assembly at 21 As the fuel-air mixture flows downwardly from the carburetor past the carburetors throttle plate an asym-' metrical fuel-air flow is discharged into the housing 15'. The flow, being greater to one side of the vertical centerline of the housing, will thus impart rotation to v the rotor assembly 21. While in this latter form of the invention the force imparted to the rotor assembly is less for a given air flow through inlet area 18 the assembly rotates at a satisfactory speed during engine operation at engine speeds above idling. The discharge opening of the modified housing 15 may be as shown in FIG. 2. In instances where the engines useis predominantly at such higher engine speeds, for example in longhaul truck operations, the use of the-modified form of the invention is particularly practical. Other modifications include the addition of motor means for intermittent powering of the rotor assembly when the airfuel mixture flow is inadequate to impart rotary motion to said assembly.

While I have shown but two embodiments of the invention it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied still otherwise without departing from the spirit and scope'of the invention. 1

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to be secured under a Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor initially mixing air and fuel, the improvement constituting a fuel and air mixing device downstream from saidcarburetor and comprising,

a housing in communicative disposition between the engine and the carburetor, and

a rotor assembly within said housing including a multitude of closely spaced parallel members with said members being of planar shape and having at least one irregular surface, means rotatably supporting said members for rotation about an axis disposed transversely to the fuel-air mixture flow from the carburetor to the engine whereby the fuel-air mixture flow passes intermediate the spaced parallel members of the rotor assembly with said members and the irregular surface thereon imparting turbulence to the fuel-air mixture flow to further mix same. a

2. The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said members are perforate discs with multiple openings in each of said discs providing an irregular surface thereon.

3. The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rotatable means of the rotor assembly comprises a shaft joumalled at its ends within said housing, said members being mounted on said shaft normal to the shaft axis, spacer elements intermediate each of said members with said members and spacers being of a like thickness of approximately one thirty-second of an inch.

4. The improvement as claimed in claim 2 wherein the perforations extend through the discs and are of an approximate diameter of one-sixteenth of an inch.

5. A-fuel-air mixing device for an internal combustion engine, said device operative in conjunction with a carburetor for the engine initially mixing fuel and air, said fuel-air mixing device comprising,

a rotor assembly including a multitude of closely spaced rotatable discs, means rotatably supporting said spaced apart discs for rotation about an axis, said discs having at least one irregular surface,

a housing for said rotor assembly defining an inlet area and a discharge area both in communication with an intermediate housing area defined by a housing wall and receiving said rotor assembly, and

said inlet and outlet areas terminating at said intermediate housing area in arcuately spaced elongate openings in the housing wall whereby the fuel-air mixture flow is sequentially-directed intermediate the discs of the rotor assembly and discharged from i said assembly along a course generally parallel to said discs with turbulence being imparted to the fuel-air mixture by the irregular surface of said discs.

6. The fuel-air mixing device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said inlet area of thehousing is tangentially disposed relative to said rotor assembly.

7. The fuel-air mixing device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said rotatable discs have multiple perforations therein to provide an irregular surface thereon.

8. The fuel-air mixing device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said inlet area of the housing is tangentially disposed relative'to said rotor assembly.

9. The fuel-air mixing device as claimed in claim 5 wherein both said inlet area and said discharge area of the housing are tangentially disposed relative to said wherein the perforations extending through the discs are of an approximate diameter of one-sixteenth of an inch. 

2. The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said members are perforate discs with multiple openings in each of said discs providing an irregular surface thereon.
 3. The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rotatable means of the rotor assembly comprises a shaft journalled at its ends within said housing, said members being mounted on said shaft normal to the shaft axis, spacer elements intermediate each of said members with said members and spacers being of a like thickness of approximately one thirty-second of an inch.
 4. The improvement as claimed in claim 2 wherein the perforations extend through the discs and are of an approximate diameter of one-sixteenth of an inch.
 5. A fuel-air mixing device for an internal combustion engine, said device operative in conjunction with a carburetor for the engine initially mixing fuel and air, said fuel-air mixing device comprising, a rotor assembly including a multitude of closely spaced rotatable discs, means rotatably supporting said spaced apart discs for rotation about an axis, said discs having at least one irregular surface, a housing for said rotor assembly defining an inlet area and a discharge area both in communication with an intermediate housing area defined by a housing wall and receiving said rotor assembly, and said inlet and outlet areas terminating at said intermediate housing area in arcuately spaced elongate openings in the housing wall whereby the fuel-air mixture flow is sequentially directed intermediate the discs of the rotor assembly and discharged from said assembly along a course generally parallel to said discs with turbulence being imparted to the fuel-air mixture by the irregular surface of said discs.
 6. The fuel-air mixing device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said inlet area of the housing is tangentially disposed relative to said rotor assembly.
 7. The fuel-air mixing device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said rotatable discs have multiple perforations therein to provide an irregular surface thereon.
 8. The fuel-air mixing device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said inlet area of the housing is tangentially disposed relative to said rotor assembly.
 9. The fuel-air mixing device as claimed in claim 5 wherein both said inlet area and said discharge area of the housing are tangentially disposed relative to said rotor assembly with said rotatable discs having multiple perforations therein to provide an irregular surface thereon.
 10. The fuel-air mixing device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said rotatable means of the rotor assembly comprises a shaft with said discs mountEd thereon normal to the shaft axis, spacer elements intermediate each of said discs with said discs and spacers being of a like thickness of approximately one thirty-second of an inch.
 11. The fuel-air mixing device as claimed in claim 10 wherein the perforations extending through the discs are of an approximate diameter of one-sixteenth of an inch. 